Timothy Warner

Recently-Developed Aluminium Solutions for Aerospace Applications

Two principal approaches are available to materials’ engineers to improve the overall cost-weight balance of metallic airframe structures: improving alloy performance and optimising materials’ utilisation. Although both approaches have been successful in the past, they are most effective when applied concomitantly. The Aluminium industry has a long record of improving aerospace alloys’ performance. Nevertheless, even in apparently well-explored alloy systems such as the 7xxx family, products with improved damage tolerance-strength balances have recently been developed, thanks to an improved understanding of the optimum Zn-Mg-Cu combinations for the required property balances but also to developments in casting capability. Novel dispersoids and dispersoid combinations have enabled further improvements of the performance of existing alloy families. For example, appropriate Sc and Zr additions have a significant impact on the grain structure of 2xxx alloys and thus on performance. Another high potential approach for alloy performance improvements is the optimisation of Al-Cu-Li-(Mg-Ag-Zn) alloys. These so-called “third generation Al-Li alloys” were principally developed for military and space applications; in order to meet the demands of future commercial airframes, more damage tolerant variants are being developed. AA2198 and AA2050 are used to illustrate the potential of these higher damage tolerance Al-Cu-Li alloys. However, materials performance improvements are only part of the potential developments of metallic solutions for airframes. Further gains of a similar magnitude in component weight and cost can be achieved by applying new technologies and new design solutions to metallic structures. The future of metallic airframes will depend on the concomitant application of both these approaches.

Exfoliation Corrosion Mechanism: Interplay between Intergranular Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking during Exfoliation Corrosion of AA7449

It is generally considered that exfoliation corrosion is due to the build-up of corrosion products that create a wedging stress that lifts up the surface grains. However, the exfoliation mechanism is still under discussion: possible operating mechanisms include intergranular corrosion of in plane grain boundaries accelerated by the wedging effect, or crack propagation by a “purely” stress corrosion mechanism. The sensitivity to exfoliation corrosion of AA7449 in relation to the intergranular and stress corrosion cracking sensitivity has been addressed in a program of controlled quenches followed by thermal treatments. Our observations demonstrate that the quench rate has a strong effect on intergranular corrosion and exfoliation corrosion sensitivity and in a lesser extent on stress corrosion cracking. In the first moments of the EXCO test, the initiation of corrosion follows the same trends as those revealed by the ASTM G110 test. We observe intergranular initiation for the slow quench rate (~5°C/s) and pitting initiation for samples quenched between 50 to 500°C/s. On the contrary, the final EXCO corrosion quotations do not seem to correlate with the intergranular resistance but rather with SCC resistance.

Microstructural Evolution of a New Aerospace 7XXX Alloy during Retrogression and Re-Ageing Treatment

RRA treatment was applied to a high-Zn, 7XXX alloy under development for aerospace applications. Microstructure of the alloy is studied at different stages of the 3-step ageing process, by Transmission Electron Microscopy, in order to understand the corresponding evolution of mechanical and corrosion properties. The Compression Yield Strength at the end of the high temperature step was found higher than at the end of the 1st step, contrary to the conventional RRA treatment. After re-ageing, the final CYS turned out significantly higher than at the T6 temper of the alloy, while the material remained sensitive to exfoliation corrosion.

Etude de la corrosion galvanique par profilométrie laser. Application aux alliages d’aluminium

Cet article presente une etude de l’evolution de la morphologie d’une anode d’aluminium par profilometrie laser resultant d’un couplage galvanique AI/AI - 4 % Cu dans NaCI N/5 + 0,3 % H2 O2 .